LHS Junior: 'My Life Has Been Blessed to Excess'
LHS junior Hannah Shaievitz discusses some important observations on giving back. Right now, she's collecting food donations to help local residents in need.
The following letter was provided to Lynnfield Patch by Hannah Shaievitz and her family:
My name is Hannah Shaievitz and I am a junior at Lynnfield High School. Recently my eyes have been opened to the harsh realities others face in their lives. My grandmother has been helping a family in need and brought me along on a visit. There I met three nice Moms and their combined nine children. They were all friendly, well mannered and surprisingly happy and grateful despite living with less than the bare essentials. My life has been blessed to excess and this became obvious to me when I saw what little they have. Like all my friends I have more than I need and then some. Meeting this family made me wonder what I could do to help. One of the things that struck me was how do they get groceries.
I know in my house my siblings and I are constantly complaining to my mom, “There’s no food in this house!” When of course there is plenty. I’ve never had to go hungry. When my Mom comes home with a car full of bags we think it’s a hardship to carry them in the house. Now being a kid I’m not in a position to buy groceries for families in need but the money for groceries is not their only obstacle. How is someone supposed to shop for a family and carry the groceries home on a bus. A bag of potatoes, laundry detergent, milk…how can you carry this on a bus? When I asked my grandmother about this she enlightened me even more. She told me that there are people who buy food then come to these neighborhoods where they know people have no means to get to the market and resell it to them at higher prices. Out of desperation they buy it.
I want to help by at least lightening the burden on some families. I have a car and time to donate and was hoping some of you may be willing to SHARE a food item from your pantry. Just email me at Hannah.Shaievitz@gmail.com with your address and a pick up day and leave your donation in a bag by your door or drop it at my door. It couldn’t be easier. I will pick it up and deliver it to a family in need. Anything from a package of toilet paper to a can of beans would be appreciated. Please forward this along to anyone else who may be lucky enough to SHARE.
Thank you,
Hannah Shaievitz
Lynnfield
Sending Help And Relief Easily
Jackies Packie
7:59 pm on Friday, March 1, 2013
I wish all the kids in Lynnifeld would copy this young woman's example. Kids in Lynnfield are, and always have been...spoiled rotten. They know this, but they don't understand it until they get out into the real world. (if they ever leave lynnfield and fend for themselves) All the kids in this town should be required to switch places with an underprivileged child. Their eyes should be opened to the harsh realities of life that most people experience. I applaud this girl for what she has done and even though I know it will never happen...I can only HOPE that the "over-privileged" kids in lynnfield would follow her lead and help those who don't live in mansions and drive BMW's.
Jackies Packie
8:00 pm on Friday, March 1, 2013
excuse the typos- I know the spelling police will be out in full force - OMG !!
Ken M.
6:39 pm on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
I think that "Jackies packie" is right. This town is,... and has always been over-run by spoiled rotten kids who get everything and anything they want at the drop of a hat. Lynnfield is known for it's snobbery and being stuck up. I just hope that the kids who grow up here realize how spoiled and lucky they really are. Most of them won't ever have to work, or buy a home or car on their own, but for the ones who do.... they will get a serious reality shock when they go out into the world.
Please teach your children to help others and be blessed for what they have.
I think Jackie has the right idea- make these kids from Lynnfield switch places with a poor kid for a year. See how appreciative they are when they get back.
Ken M.
Longtime Lynnfield resident